Engagement and Leadership

• Stakeholder Engagement
• Sustainability Leadership

Stakeholder Engagement

Approach & Policy

Activities

In its commitment to promoting the Social Innovation Business, Hitachi endeavors to accurately identify the various social issues facing each country and region, and to work toward resolution of these issues through engagement in collaborative creation with a wide range of stakeholders, including customers, governments and municipalities, as well as academic and research institutions. In addition, with the goal of enhancing the value of our human capital, we work to promote for direct dialogues between the management and employees, who are an essential management resource. Furthermore, with the recent rise in ESG investment, we actively engage in dialogues with shareholders and investors as well.

Sustainability Leadership

Approach & Policy

Activities

Hitachi work with diverse global initiatives and organizations to make rules that contribute to the creation of a sustainable society and to solve social issues.

Industry Leadership and Policy Recommendations

As part of developing Hitachi’s Social Innovation Business on a global scale, Hitachi views government institutions and private bodies in each country and region of the world as important partners. Our Government & External Relations Group leads our efforts to strengthen ties with these bodies. We collaborate with business locations worldwide to develop mutual relationships with local communities, working with governments and international organizations in each country. At the same time, the Group seeks new business opportunities for Hitachi, creating value based on the various regional social issues and policies.
More frequently, governments are asking for our opinions. We also contribute to building better societies by making requests directly and proposing solutions through discussions in economic organizations and industrial bodies.

Participation in Government Councils / Business and Industry Associations

Efforts in International Standardization Activities

Hitachi considers international standardization as an activity to define the international rules necessary for achieving sustainable societies. Hitachi also recognizes that international standards are stipulated specifications or criteria endorsed by members representing specialized fields and diverse stakeholders through fair discussion and international agreement.
Therefore, Hitachi strives to solve social issues from a global perspective, engages in collaborative creation with a diverse range of stakeholders, including national and regional governments, academic and research institutions, corporations, NGOs and NPOs, and users around the world to create new social norms (rules), and contribute to sustainable societies through our Social Innovation Business.
Hitachi believes international standardization is as important as R&D and intellectual property. Hitachi participates actively in standardization activities at international standardization organizations that include IEC^*1, ISO^*2, and ITU-T^*3. Hitachi also participates in consortia established in various regions and industrial fields around the world.
For example, Hitachi is engaged in international standardization activities in various fields including efforts concerning the circular economy (ISO/TC^*4 323), the environmental standardization for electrical and electronic products and systems (IEC/TC111), smart community infrastructures (ISO/TC 268/SC^*5 1), and unmanned aircraft systems (ISO/TC 20/SC 16). In addition to the subjects around which there are already debate and established technical committees within international standard organizations, we also give attention to subjects that still require a space for international discussion and the creation of an international consensus going forward. For example, ISO/IWA 39^*6 was finalized in fiscal 2021, and Hitachi is working to create opportunities for various stakeholders to hold concrete discussions and come to an international consensus based on the conclusions of this agreement, in the aim of achieving Society 5.0 (an initiative led by the Japanese government that aims to build a human-centered and sustainable society).
Providing solutions consistent with international standards through these international standardization activities, Hitachi supports the sound development of global markets and facilitate innovation to resolve social issues.

*1 IEC: International Electrotechnical Commission. An international organization composed of member countries and regions.

*2 ISO: International Organization for Standardization. An international organization composed of member countries and regions.

*3 ITU-T: International Telecommunication Union Telecommunication Standardization Sector. A specialized agency of the United Nations.

*4 TC: Technical Committee

*5 SC: Subcommittee

*6 IWA: International Workshop Agreement, an ISO deliverable. ISO/IWA 39 provides gap analysis for standardization on sustainable human-centered societies enabled with cyber physical systems.

Participation in International Standardization Activities

An employee member of the Hitachi team has been serving as a member of the SMB^*, an upper-level committee supervising the IEC’s standardization activities, since January 2023. Our employees can also be found in other key international positions, including chairpersons, secretaries, and committee managers to various bodies, and participate in a variety of technical committees within international standardization organizations. In recognition for these contributions to international standardization activities, two Hitachi employees received the IEC’s 1906 Award and one employee received an Excellence Award from the ISO in 2023.

*SMB: Standardization Management Board. Fifteen members are appointed from IEC member countries. Seven members are elected by the standing member countries and eight by general election.

Structure for Promoting International Standardization Activities at Hitachi

The Hitachi Group Standardization Committee has been established to engage with international standardization activities involving groupwide cooperation. The Steering Committee^*1 for the Standardization Committee selects areas for Hitachi to prioritize over the medium to long term. Each working group engages in detailed discussions and strategic activities toward international standardization.
The Hitachi Group Standardization Committee is also working to develop human resources who will promote international standardization activities. This includes incorporating international standardization into our training programs for developing business leaders and running an internal awards program to recognize those who have made contributions through their work for international standardization.

*1 Steering Committee: Headed by the executive officer overseeing R&D, this entity includes chief technology officers of Hitachi business units and key Group companies. The committee is responsible for decisions on cross-departmental and companywide standardization projects.

Main Initiatives and Groups Hitachi Is Involved with

Based on its corporate mission of “contribute to society through the development of superior, original technology and products,” Hitachi promotes its Social Innovation Business with the aim of contributing to the realization of a sustainable society. As part of this, to play its proper role as a global corporation, Hitachi actively participates in international initiatives and groups addressing social issues on a global scale.